SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan: banks starting with I

Finding a SWIFT code in Japan

This directory contains 586 banks and other institutions in Japan and 712 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. You will need such a code mainly when making international transfers.

Look for the bank you need below and open its page to see the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing before you send money.

SWIFT transfers to Japan

Japan is not part of the SEPA area. International transfers to Japan usually travel over the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. On the way to Japan, a payment can go through correspondent banks that charge for their part.

The structure of a Japan SWIFT/BIC code

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

Whatever the bank, every code from Japan have the same country code in positions five and six, namely the ISO code of Japan. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

If the last three are XXX, it means the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Japan

If you are waiting for money from abroad on an account in Japan, give the sender everything they need in one go. That means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your postal address.

Look up the bank in the list on this page to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. You can include the name and city of your bank as well.

Expect that the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

How long does a transfer to Japan take?

There is no single answer for payments to Japan: some land within a day while others need several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays often start the next business day.

If the money is delayed, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR. Money transfer services usually show tracking online so you can follow the payment.

Which bank in Japan has the most codes?

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The leads the list for Japan when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office uses BOTKJPJTXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. Paying someone at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The? Use BOTKJPJTXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Banks in Japan starting with :letter

Here you see a filtered list: just banks in Japan whose name begins with :letter. The totals mentioned here cover every bank we list and not only this letter.

If a bank does not appear under :letter, try another letter – the registered name can differ from the name people use. Use the full list for Japan when you do not know how the name is spelled.

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details straight from their banking app. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, do not guess.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on public sources that we update periodically. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Before any payment that matters, check the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is a comparison service.

Watch out for invoices containing changed bank details. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

The cheapest way to send money to Japan

What you pay for a payment to Japan is made up of more than one component. There is a transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest cost item, even though it is not listed as a fee. An easy check: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services side by side, showing the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

The Japanese Yen (JPY) and conversion costs

Japan pays in the Japanese Yen (JPY). When you pay money in a different currency, the amount has to be converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. In many cases it is cheaper to send JPY directly via a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.